Dotted along the city’s coastline and harbour, Sydney’s sdy pools – also known as sea and ocean pools – are beautiful spots to swim, some more than 100 years old. But they also offer a glimpse into the city’s troubled history of political infighting, pork barrelling and corruption.
North Sydney’s sdy pool, at the corner of a promenade linking Manly and Shelley beaches, is one such example. It’s a triangular pool overshadowed by Art Deco apartments and heralded by bronze sea nymph sculptures. But it’s also a tease, promising more than the mere pleasures of stroking up and down within concrete walls. The fringing reef that sits beside it is home to docile dusky whaler sharks and giant cuttlefish, and marine scientists are trying to help it bounce back.
The pool’s origin story is a tangled tale of conflicting interests and conflicting ideologies, resulting in a project that has ballooned from its original $25m price tag to $100m and now has an opening date set far into the future. It’s been beset by council infighting, claims of pork-barrelling and a lack of transparency, heritage concerns, and criticism from health organisations. It’s also been the subject of a federal independent MP’s anti-pork-barrelling bill, which has muddied the waters ahead of the council elections in September.
For mayor Zoe Baker, the issue has become about more than whether or not the sdy pool should open; it’s about how it opened. She argues that the problems began in April 2019, when a $10m government grant meant for regional and remote women’s sports was handed over to the inner-city project, kicking the project into high gear. That windfall would have been fine if it had been a standalone decision, she says, but it was instead dragged into the political arena, a pre-election cash injection that she sees as part of a wider problem of governance of the inner-city project.
If you’re planning a new pool, it’s best to start construction at the beginning of the warmer months to avoid any delays caused by weather or other uncontrollable factors. Ideally, the contractor will begin by creating a frame in which to spray the shotcrete or gunite, and this usually takes 2-3 weeks. Then it’s a matter of curing, tiling and coping which can take up to 3-4 months to complete, depending on the complexity of your site and pool design. The consultation and design phase will have a big impact on the overall timeline as well, so it’s important to consider this when making your initial plans. Ultimately, the most important factor in determining your pool installation timeline is the contractor you choose. A reputable contractor will be able to give you an accurate idea of what the timeframe will be when they’ve had the chance to assess the project and consult with you. This will include a detailed site analysis and pool design. This will give them a clear understanding of the work required to get your pool up and running as quickly as possible.